Cutter for picking fruit



July 2, 1940. J. READ z-:r AL.

CUTTER FOR PICKINGFRUIT Filed Aug. 14, 1939 1U?. Read' Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE `2,206,790 y CUTTER Foa PICKING FRUIT James Read and Philip H. Read, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Application August i4, 1939, serial No. 290,092 l 5 Claims.

. This invention relates `to a cutter for picking fruit.

`An object of the invention is' the provision of a device for rapidly removing fruit of various types from trees wherethe fruit hangs from the tree i `by means of a stern, the device being so constructed that it can be operated by certain fingers of the hand of the` operator while the fruit may be held in the palm of the hand in connection with the remaining fingers.

Another objectof the invention `is the provision of a device for cutting the stems of fruit hanging from a tree in which the device may be manipulated by certain fingers of the hand of the operator while the remaining fingers may support the fruit while the stem is being cut I against the palm of the hand, the device consisting of a pairof cutters with one of the `cutters being carried by a stationary member while the necl to the disclosure, being susceptible of such i changes and modifications as dene no material departure from the salient `features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a device constructed in accordance with the principles of `our invention. i

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cutter.

Figure 3 is a planview of the same. `Figure 4 is a longitudinal side view of the cutter which is opposite to the View shown in Figure 2. I

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I0 `designates a base member having a curved member I I depending from one end` of the base member I0 and outwardly therefrom.

An index nger grip I2 is secured by means of rivets I3 to the upper end of the member I I. i The finger support I2 is substantially circular and is provided with an opening I4 to receive a lug I5 i formed integrally on the lower end of the mem- (Cl. SI1- 232) u ber Il. The outer end of the lug is swaged for securely connecting the U-shaped portion I6 at the lower end of the finger support I2 to the lower end of the member I I.

The portions I'I and I8 arecurved in opposite,

directions to receive the intermediate ngers located between the index and the little finger of the hand of the operator. Thus, it will be seen that the` little finger is free to engage around the fruit and press it against the palm of the I Ahand to support the fruit when the stem isI being cut. i I

A blade the base member III and has a knife edge 2| inclined at an acute angle to a line extending at right angles from the side edge 2,2 ofthe base memberIIl. A knife edge 23 forms anacute angle with the edge 22 of the base member I0 and is located inwardly of the knife edge 2l.

A slidable member 25 is mounted for reciprolcation on the base member III and is provided with a pair of elongated slots 26 and 2l adapted to receive the shanks of bolts 23 and 29 respectively which are screwed into threaded passages 2. 25 I These bolts are provided with heads of large` di"` in the base member I0 as shown in Figure ameter shown respectively at 30 and 3l which engage the outer surface of the slidable member 25.

A cutter 23 extends laterally from one side edge t,

20 extends laterally from one edge of A of 'the' member 25 and has a knife edge 33 lomember 25. It will be noted that the knife edge `33 is beveled in an opposite direction from the `bevel of the knife edge 2| so that when the knife edge `33 rides overthe knife edge 2l these tvvoI .A edges will be in close association for effectively adapted to receive the thumb of the operator during the `cutting operation.

A spring member 35 is secured by means of a bolt 3l to 'thecutter 23 while the other end 38 of the spring is secured to the slidable member 25 by means of an eye 39 so that when the cutters ar'e moved toward each other for the cutting operation and are released the spring will force the cutters apart automatically.

'The operation "of our device is as follows: The thumb ofthe operator is placed in the circular `cated at a right angle to the side edge of thel the stem.

{de-pending flange adjacent the associated'end of "the `second mentioned bar, rsaid strap being Acurved to receive a nger of the operator be- The instrument is then ready for the cutting operation and itis only necessary Ifor the operator to move the thumb towards the fingers while simultaneously moving the ngers towards the thumb whereby the sliding vmember 25 will be moved inwardly and the cutting edges 2l,- 23 and 33 will be moved towards each other and the stem will be cut between the cutting edge tand the cutting edge 33 so that when suflicient pressure is exerted on the base member iE! and the sliding member 25 the stein will be severed. Due to the fact that the operator can use his .little finger to support the fruit the fruit canbe readily vdischarged into a basket.

Wetclaim: i

y1. `.A cutter for picking fruit comprising a pair of bars slidably mounted on each other, a blade projecting laterallyirom each bar and having lknife edges 'moving over each other in close association, a vthumb receiving element mounted on anvend ofaone bar, a plurality of nger receiving A cutter for picking fruit comprising a pair of bars slid'ably mounted on each other, means for maintaining vthe lbars ingslidingcontactwith p each other, a thumb receiving member formed integrally with an end of one ci the bars, the oppositeend of the other bar having a curved depending flange, a metal strap secured to the the. curved portion and the depending ange, means for connecting vthe free end of the Y:flange:witlri' the strap, said strap being curved ontwardlyffrom the free end ofthe ange and kthen inwardly to provide `a pair of finger engaging elements,y a bladeprojecting llaterally 'from each Abar'andhaving knife-edges in slidable Contact with each other.

'for .maintaining-the bars in sliding contact with each other, a thumb receiving `member formed integrally withan end lofone o'f vthe bars, the opposite end of the other "bar "having a curvedfdepending flange, ,a Vmetal l'strapv secured `to the Vdepending ange adjacent the'associated end of the second `mentioned bar, .said strap being curved to receive a nger Aof the "operator ibetween the 'curved portion'and the depending flange, .means 'for connecting the free end of the flange with the strap, said strap being curved outwardly from the free end of the iiange and'then inwardly to provide a pair 'of finger engaging elements, a blade 'projecting laterally from each bar and having knife elges in slidable contact with each other, one knife edge being located at substantially a right angle to the side edge of its associated bar, the knife edge of the other blade being inclined at an acute angle to an edge of the associated bar.

4. A cutterfor picking fruit comprising a pair of bars slidably mounted on each other, means for maintaining the bars in sliding contact with each other, a thumb receiving member formed integrally with an end of one of the bars, the opposite end of the other bar having a curved depending flange, a metal strap secured to the depending flange adjacent the associated end of the second mentioned bar, said strap `being curved to receive a finger of the operator between the curved portion and the depending flange, means for connecting the free end of the lflange with the strap, said strap being `curved outwardly from the free end or" the flange and inwardly'to provide a pair of ringer engaging elements, a blade projecting laterally from each bar and `having knife edges in slidable contact with n" eachother, one knife edge being located at substantially a right 'angle to the side edge of its asn sociated bar, the knife edge'of the other blade being inclined at an acute angle to an edge of the associated bar, the last mentioned blade hav-Y iff.

ing a cut-out portion adjacent the associated I edge of the connected bar to form a notch to re `,ceive Athe stern of the fruit, one edge of the cutout portion of the blade being sharpened/to form a knife.

5. A cutter for picking fruit comprising a pair ofbars slide-bly mounted on each other, means for maintaining the bars in ysliding contact with eachother, a thumb receiving member 4form-ed integrally 'with an-end of one of the bars, the opposite end of the other bar having curved depending flange, a metal strap secured to the depending flange adjacent the `associated end of the second mentioned bar, said strap being curved to receive a linger of the operator between the curved portion and therdepending `flange, means for connecting the free end of the ange with the strap, said strap being curved outwardly from the free end of the flange and then in- 50 wardly to .provide a'pair of linger engaging elements, a blade projecting laterally from each bar .and having knife edges'in slidable contact p with each other, one knife edge being located at substantiallya right angle to the side edge of its associated bar, the knife edge of the other blade being inclined at an acute angle to an edge of lthe associated bar, and a Vspring connected-at one lend with one blade connected to a bar, the other end of the spring being connected to the adjacent end of the other bar for maintaining the vknife edges in separated relation when in yan inoperative position.

` JAMES READ.

PHILIP H. READ. 

